Effect of Aerobic Training and Omega-3 Intake on Nerve Growth Factor in the Hippocampus of Healthy Male Rats and Rats with Homocysteine Induced Alzheimer's Model

The brain is organ that has high adaptability in response to morphological, metabolic and functional to exercise and nutrition. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of omega-3 intake and aerobic training on nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus of healthy male rats and rats with homocysteine induced Alzheimer's model.
Ninety male Wistar rats (12 weeks old and mean weight 219.99 ± 12.60 g), were divided into 9 groups. To induce Alzheimer's disease, homocysteine was infused into the rats cerebroventricule at a dose of 0.6M were used. Aerobic training on a treadmill (5 days per week, with 50 to 55% of maximal oxygen consumption) were carried out and supplemented groups during the 8 weeks, daily 800 mg per kg body weight were administered omega-3 supplements. 72 hours after the last intervention session, the rats anesthetized, and surgically removed the hippocampus tissue. Data analysis using one way ANOVA and Tukey tests were performed (P Findings: In healthy subjects, intake of omega-3 caused a significant increase in NGF level (P = 0.001). Exercise training and absence of omega-3 along with exercise training, had no significant effect on NGF levels (P = 0.990 and P = 0.210 respectively). In subjects with Alzheimer's disease, aerobic training caused a significant increase in NGF levels (P = 0.020), and omega-3 intake with its combination with exercise training, had no significant change in the level of NGF (P = 0.930 and P = 0.220 respectively).
It seems that exercise training and omega-3 intake in the strategy of prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease can affect in many different forms.